My dead heart lurched when this adorable angel called my name; he was everything I desired and everything I would never have.

Oh, what I’d give for this tiny person to call me ‘momma’!

It was hard to believe that Tommie has been through such a traumatic experience, only fourteen hours ago.

He appeared to be fully recovered externally, but only time would tell the internal damage that would scar him for life.

He was barely six years old, and already he was an orphan.

I found it difficult to believe that one small boy, could affect me so much. I had risked the exposure of my entire immortal race to save him.

Glancing at his round face and plump rosy cheeks; I knew in an instant why I had saved him.

Everything about him resembled a child I had once known, in a life I had once lived.

I saved him for the same reason I had rescued Emmet, out of my own selfish needs.

I was desperately trying to latch on to my former life, when I was human and could have had a beautiful family of my own.

When I was with them I felt alive again.

“Rosie? Drink?” enquired Thomas

“Sure baby, I’ll be just a minute. You better get ready; your sister will be waking soon”

Bella had been stirring for the last couple of minutes; her memory of the accident would be hazy.

Edward had insisted on saving her specifically, she held a certain allure for him.

He couldn’t read her mind, and this intrigued him.

When she woke, Edward calmly relived the accident and how she had survived (missing out some minor details).

I could feel her panic as he progressed on, she didn’t believe his claims and with good reason.

She knew she hadn’t jumped and swam to safety; despite Edward’s best efforts she could remember snippets from the accident and wasn’t taking aboard anything he was saying.

The truth was, Edward and I had jumped out of the plane before impact and swam away from the wreckage so we weren’t dragged down with the plane.

Bella had broken her leg and fractured several ribs in the process; however there was no permanent damage.

We safely returned in time for the rescue team to spot us, and be taken to hospital to be known as the nine luckiest survivors in the history of the World.

We had to act quickly in order to save them; unfortunately we weren’t also able to save there parents.

They had died along with the other 279 passengers and crew members.

The accident left them staring down the rest of their lives, alone and parentless.

Bella’s reaction was more devastating than if she’d have flown into a savage rage; she simply shook her head and with broken eyes accepted the truth.

And with that she was no longer the bubbly young lady I had met on the plane; she was a hollow shell, completely empty – a zombie.

Edward POV

My family and I visited the hospital everyday; Carlisle’s working there gave them private rooms and us 24/7 visiting hours.

Bella’s previously enchanting eyes had become nothing more than a dull exterior to the pain she was feeling inside; she had confided in me once that she felt guilty about having survived and blamed herself for her parents death.

This was to be expected.

However, as time passed Bella dug deeper and deeper into her internal world; and whilst in her waking hours her eyes seemed to be glazed over disconnecting her from any external influences.

She didn’t speak unless spoken to, and very rarely ate anything.

It was exactly one week since Bella and Thomas had become orphans, I took my usual route going through the children’s ward to pick Tommie up before we go to visit Bella.

When I got there Rosalie, Alice and Esme were already crowded around him.

“Hey little man!” I shouted. As soon as he heard me his little face picked up, leaping out of Rosalie’s arms to be at my side.

I flashed her a smug smile.

Cocky son of a …

I gave her a comprehensive glance, Esme certainly would not be happy if she had heard her daughter’s filthy thoughts.

Edward you’re here early, I thought you were going hunting?

Alice and I had long since perfected our silent conversations; it wound the others up to know that we were conversing privately.

I had shown her how I wanted to talk to Bella, and try to pull her out of her morbid state.

I don’t know if she’s up to it yet Edward, she has been through an extremely traumatic experience recently.

As if I didn’t know, I was the one who had insisted on saving her! Without me she would be six feet under rotting in a graveyard somewhere, I shuddered at the thought.

We better get going, the nurse will be coming soon and if I’m right she’s ready to be discharged.

I chuckled at the thought of Alice ever being wrong.

Being a psychic generally doubted the idea of that ever happening.

* * *

“Doctor Cullen will be in to see you in minute.”

“Thanks” mumbled Bella “Maybe I’m finally gonna get out of this hell joint.”

“I’m sure you will” winked the nurse as she bounced out of the room.

Bella closed her eyes and sunk back into bed, she was often tired due to her lack of nourishment.

“Bella sweetie, Carlisle will be here in a minute maybe you should try and stay awake for a while.” Suggested Esme

“Sure, sure I’m just so tired Esme.”

“I know Bells, maybe you should try and eat something it should make you feel better”

“No, I’m not hungry.” Bella dwelled back into her thoughts.

I could tell by reading Jasper’s mind that she was nervous, she desperately wanted to leave hospital as she hated being looked after, it made her feel vulnerable.

However, she was terrified of leaving all the same.

She and Thomas had no other living relatives, which meant they would be going into the care system.

This idea was what scared her most of all.

Thomas was an incredibly charming six year old boy; he was the ideal candidate for an adoption.

This meant she would lose her only remaining family and be thrown from household to household for the rest of her adolescent life.

Bella needed a supportive, loving and stable family to take care of her.

“Hey Bells, how are you feeling?” questioned Carlisle.

Bella liked Carlisle, his gentle and giving nature touched her deeply and she was surprised at his utter concern for her welfare.

“Hi Carlisle, I was just saying to the guys I’m still feeling kind of tired, but other than that I feel right as rain. Nothing bothering me what so ever!” She smirked at her own joke; Bella was a fan of sarcasm.

“That’s great, I’m glad. I’m still gonna prescribe you some vitamins and pills to give you extra
Immunity. But I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear you’re officially discharged; and don’t worry I’ve completely taken care of your payment.”

“That’s um, nice Carlisle, um thanks”.

“Its fine, anything for you.”

Bella blushed hard and gave him a grateful smile.

Taking Esme’s arm he led her outside, beckoning Alice and Rose.

Leave Bella and Thomas together for a moment, they need to be alone for a while son. We will wait outside; the foster company will be here in a few minutes.

“I’ll just leave you two together for a minute”

“Thanks Edward” she smiled back at me, an odd feeling surged through my veins.

Floating out the room, I heard the bases of the conversation, “Bella, look I can fit my fist in my mouth”…”Wow, that’s um great Tommie”

I found it difficult to contain my laughter.

As soon as I shut the door, locking myself away from the two most pure and innocent souls I had ever met, a surging rage boiled to my surface.

“Carlisle, how can we possibly put them into care? You know they will be separated! How can you even think about doing that to Bella? She will fall apart completely!”

“Calm down my son, there is nothing I can do”

“That’s not entirely true Carlisle…” whispered Esme

“That’s absolutely perfect Esme, thank you so much!” Sung Alice.

“What?!” I growled.

But of course she would have seen the outcome at the exact moment Esme had decided it, as did I.

Alice had seen a vision, A beautiful brunette blushing under the Christmas tree hugging her younger brother and thanking her family for her Christmas presents. But of course we were that family, we had each embraced her as she thanked us for our gifts.

The vision changed, It was Bella again this time there were subtle differences, she was still young however taller and with more defined facial features. Esme entered the room which myself Emmet, Rose, Thomas and Bella hung around lazily. “Bedtime for the mortal children in the family” an enormous laugh rippled from Emmet “MOM” screeched Bella “I’m fifteen and your attempting to send me to bed at the same time as a seven year old!” “Now, now Bella I will not have you shouting like that in this home. While your under my roof, you will go to bed when I say young lady.” She finished with a motherly glare.

It was a typical family moment, teenage daughter yelling at over bearing mom.

But Esme wasn’t Bella’s mom, even though Bella seemed very comfortable with calling her that.

This wasn’t the factor that disturbed me most of all, in the vision both of them appeared to be in on our secret and neither one was appalled by the situation.

In fact they seemed too comfortable!

Bella’s head was slumped on my lap and Thomas was in the arms of Rose, they were anything but afraid.

“Would anybody like to fill the rest of us in?” grunted Rosalie

“I’d be happy to; it would seem your mother wants to adopt Bella and Thomas into our own dysfunctional household!” I barked.